Spatial mobility under crisis: policy responses and migration dynamics in five countries

This study examines how public health crises—particularly the COVID-19 pandemic—have reshaped migration governance and spatial mobility across five countries. Focusing on the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, China, Brazil, and Ghana, the study analyzes policy responses and their implications for migration dynamics. We identify recurring and context‑contingent migration patterns across the five studied countries during the pandemic. Our findings suggest that national responses are shaped by factors such as the epidemic trajectory, economic status, healthcare systems, political structures, and urbanization and demographic characteristics. These policy choices, in turn, reconfigured spatial mobility patterns by constraining transnational and internal movements in uneven ways. These interactions are intrinsically linked to each country’s pre-existing migration patterns and policies. This study provides insights into the complex relationships between crisis-driven mobility control and migration governance, underscoring the long-term implications of pandemic responses for vulnerable populations in diverse, globalized societies.